Cessna 340 accident near Wagoner, Oklahoma, January 28, 1998
On January 28, 1998 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna 340, registered N340CK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wagoner, Oklahoma (Wagoner Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the entrance of deer onto the runway, which resulted in an unavoidable impact. Darkness was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1998 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Wagoner, Oklahoma · Wagoner Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N340CK · registry record · serial 340-0310
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The multi-engine aircraft struck several deer during a night landing roll at the airstrip. The deer entered the right side of the runway, and the pilot was not able to avoid the airplane's impact with the animals.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1997; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,290 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-KCJ (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: F28 El Reno OK at 2:00 am
- Destination: H68
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.